Because
by juggy-coopcoop
Summary: Because Toni Topaz's life changed significantly when she was transferred to Riverdale High.


It was either hell or heaven when Southside High had been shut down and many of the kids had been sent to the Northside to attend Riverdale High for the remainder of their education, Toni hadn't been quite able to figure it out, yet. She also hadn't been able to figure out if it was personally tailored to her, whether it be hell or heaven or both, but she was starting to get the feeling that it was. After all, Jughead seemed all the happier to be returned to the Northside, though she knew he'd never admit to the fact that it was solely because it placed him in Betty Cooper's presence more often, but no matter the reason, fact still stood that Jughead was happier in Riverdale High. But Toni… well, she wasn't quite sure what had happened to her life, all she knew was that it started the minute she walked through the doors of her new school.

It began with the obnoxious welcoming committee Veronica Lodge had set up to greet them, the sight of the girl's obvious faux attitude toward the Serpents making her nauseous, then it transferred to a whole new committee of the students who'd rather them be dead than attending their school, led by none other than the redheaded Blossom girl that had snubbed her at Jughead's drag race. Everything after that was a mess that Toni couldn't put together in her mind. Their right to wear their Serpent jackets being torn from underneath them, the school uniforms that had been forced on them, and the general anger and hatred targeted toward every newcomer. But that wasn't even half of what had flipped Toni's world upside down, honestly, it probably wasn't even a fourth of it.

Because Toni Topaz's life had become a complete mess.

By now, Toni was well acquainted with the tug on her bag that had her stumbling ungracefully into a random room inside the building of Riverdale High, she was used to the sound of the door closing and the lock clicking into place as her back was pressed against the solid form of it. All of it was basically a part of her routine. 8:00-8:15, homeroom; 8:20-9:15, advanced biology; 9:20-10:15, pre-calculus; 10:20-11:15, English; 11:20-11:50, lunch; 11:55-12:50, history; 1:00-1:55, gym; 2:00-2:55, studio art; and somewhere between _any_ of that, a rendezvous with the one girl who drove her straight to insanity.

This time, it happened when she was on her way to the last period of the day - she was incredibly sorry for it, but she would be late to her studio art class.

Her bag was dropped to the floor as thin, mesmerizing lips took command over her fuller ones, demanding all her attention as soft hands came up to caress both sides of her face so their owner could control the rough kiss. She brought her own hands to rest on a familiar waist, letting her fingers curl around the material of an expensive, tight dress as much as they could, knowing that she'd more than likely be scolded for putting wrinkles in it later. Hands slipped beneath the collar of her flannel, fingers spreading over her collarbone and shoulders as heat deepened the need for lips to be locked. However, before Toni could do anything else, her lips were met with cold air as her attacker pulled back to meet her gaze instead.

"Miss me?" Veronica questioned, her signature smirk set into place.

If she were being completely honest, Toni had no clue as to how she had ended up in the situation she had found herself in with Veronica Lodge, but she didn't entirely care how it had happened, just that it had. And she didn't think she could ever go back to how it was before.

It had started only shortly after Toni had arrived. Veronica had been extremely dramatic with her welcoming committee and her ideas to keep peace between the Northside and the Southside, even going as far as reaching out to the Serpents for an exaggerated friendship. Politely, the Serpents had brushed her off, including Toni, but Veronica had been insistent - at least with her. No matter how hard Toni tried to shake the girl, she couldn't manage it. Wherever she was, Veronica seemed to appear out of nowhere, her vie for Toni's attention soon catching every one of their friends' attention until, finally, Toni just opted to corner the girl and tell her to back off after Veronica had clung onto her for the majority of Jughead's mild party. That's when it all had _really_ started, when she had failed in her mission to tell Veronica to stop following her around, when Veronica had kissed her with determination and a desire Toni had never experienced before, and everything had clicked in Toni's mind about what the girl wanted.

They'd had sex that night, and that's when their friendship began, if that's what you could even call what they had. In all honesty, Toni had no idea if what was going on between them could be considered _friendship,_ and she never dared ask Veronica for clarification, she just rolled with it. Unfortunately for her, it hadn't ended there; somewhere along the lines, Veronica's presence had started making Toni's mind cloud over and her body ignite with an intensity that scared her. She started wanting more and more of Veronica, and her need for the girl quickly had her on her knees. She was desperate, she was confused, she didn't know what was happening or why it was happening, she didn't _want_ it to happen, and so she ignored it for a brief period. However, Veronica soon consumed her, trapping her in a gilded cage that Toni no longer found herself wanting out of, and despite the fact that the nature of their relationship had never been revealed, she always let Veronica in and always came crawling back for more.

"Always," was Toni's response, spoken nonchalantly as her fingers splayed over Veronica's back.

"Why are you the best?" Veronica questioned, bringing her nose to bump against Toni's.

She had no idea what she had said to deserve that response, considering all she had said was that she always missed her, but she couldn't help the fluttering of her chest at the idea that she had said the right thing. She was a total wreck around Veronica, she just couldn't help it. Everything Veronica did to her short-circuited her brain, making her feel like an utter idiot and turning her into a completely different person. It might have been wrong for her to let Veronica do this to her, but she didn't care, she _craved_ it.

"You're coming over tonight, right?" Veronica asked hopefully, the tone she used making Toni wonder if there might be hidden feelings on her side as well - maybe she was just hoping, but it seemed like there might be.

"Yes," Toni answered without hesitation, her gaze dropping to the finger that traced over her exposed collarbone. "Remind me why it's so important that I come over _tonight._ "

"Because…" Veronica's smirk only intensified at that, and she leaned forward until her lips were brushing over Toni's ear. "… my daddy's leaving for a 'business trip' after dinner, and he won't be back for _several_ days."

At this, Toni's knees weakened to the point where - if she wasn't being held between Veronica's body and the door - she was certain she would collapse any second due to the implications. She didn't know how to respond and she simply stood there pathetically, staring into Veronica's eyes with her own widened and her throat tightened with everything she should have been saying. It was as if, once again, Veronica had stolen every function of her body with nothing more than simple words and a bright smile, clouding her mind until there was nothing left of the girl she had always been, leaving in her wake a stumbling, confused mess of a girl.

"What about your mother?" Toni finally forced herself to ask, a smile slowly lifting her lips at the thoughts bombarding her, thoughts about everything that could possibly happen in one night with Veronica, let alone multiple. "Won't she still be there?"

Veronica shook her head, her smirk still present. "She's going with him. They're leaving with Andre to watch me and a promise that they'll check on me often."

"Okay," was all Toni said despite the many words running rampant in her mind. "What time?"

"Be there around, maybe, seven."

That was all Veronica said before kissing her smoothly one more time and disappearing from the room. Toni wasn't aware of being moved from the door at all, barely aware of Veronica's quick departure as her mind zoned in on the parting kiss Veronica had left her with. _What is happening to me?_ She shook herself out of her hazy state now that Veronica wasn't with her, pressed up against her. Retrieving her bag from the floor, she slipped through the cracked open door and into the quickly emptying hallway, the sound of the bell indicating she was late for class bouncing off the walls.

Surely, she was scolded by her teacher for being late to class, even if it was only by a few minutes, but she couldn't remember because her entire being had been tied up in thoughts of what had just happened, and what _would_ happen later tonight.

Because Toni Topaz was desperately lost in everything Veronica Lodge.

An after-school club wasn't exactly something Toni had ever believed she would be a part of, but the Swords and Serpents held so much more meaning than any academic or athletic club could ever hope to, and it was something she eased into with simplicity. Riverdale, try as they may to strip them of every connection they had to their roots, would never succeed in their mission because being Serpents was a part of them that made them whole, and they would never shed their skins no matter how much abuse they endured.

This meeting was the same as the rest; the Serpents continuing being who they are inside the cage of the Northside right under their noses. Toni still wasn't sure how Weatherbee was stupid enough to approve the club, or if he had accepted because he truthfully had some heart and knew it would be cruel to strip them of everything while they were in school, but either way he didn't bother them and they didn't seek him out. Jughead was in the middle of explaining an idea he had that would certainly test the waters around them _and_ risk the continuation of the club, arguing that making their voices heard would always be worth the risk, while the other Serpents hesitated on agreeing to his terms. Toni was listening to the debate intently, half agreeing with Jughead, half agreeing with the majority, but remaining silent on both, when her phone chimed in her bag, stealing her attention.

Unfortunately, that focused the attention on her.

"What do you think, Toni?" Jughead asked, eyes imploring with her to take his side. He knew that she often agreed with him, and he was trying to use that as leverage in this debate. "Should we just continue sitting back and allowing ourselves to be repressed?"

"Leave me out of this, Jug," Toni replied simply, pulling her phone from the confines of her bag and opening it.

A simple, commanding text: _Meet me in the locker room._

With a sigh, Toni went to say that she was in a meeting right now and couldn't leave, but before she could even type out the first word another message appeared on the screen, causing something in the pit of her stomach to churn with the knowledge that something was wrong.

It read: _Please, Toni. I need you._

And within seconds her phone was back in her bag and she was headed for the door, a confused and frustrated Jughead calling after her. "Oh, for once can you not be so dramatic, Jughead?"

She was in the hallway and heading toward the girl's locker-room swiftly, her heart racing and her head pounding. _If anyone hurt her, I swear to all the gods created that it will be the last thing they do._ In what was probably record time for crossing the school, Toni pushed through the doors of the locker-room, head turning frantically in search of the girl who had summoned her, her heart craving to take every ounce of pain away from her the second she laid eyes on her, even if that meant she had to take it for herself. With a few more steps, she was dropping her bad and kneeling on the cold floor of the locker-room.

"I'm here, Cheryl," Toni whispered delicately, sliding her hands over Cheryl's knees comfortingly, letting the girl feel her, knowing that the confirmation that she was there needed to be physical as well. "I'm here."

Within seconds, Toni was pulled into Cheryl's body, arms wrapping around her shoulders tightly as legs found themselves on either side of her, locking her in. But that was alright with Toni, she didn't want to get away anyway. Toni secured her arms around Cheryl's waist, squeezing tight enough that there was no doubt that Cheryl could feel her love and her comfort, but not so hard that it would hurt the girl. She knew that right now all Cheryl needed was the comfort of her being there, that the words would come later, so Toni remained steady in the shaking girl's arms, not caring that the collar of her flannel was no doubt being stained with the make-up Cheryl had applied that morning as tears soaked through the material. After a while, Cheryl seemed to calm, but still she said nothing as she held onto Toni tighter than ever, and Toni started wondering if there wasn't anything new that had caused this, knowing that sometimes everything that was happening in Cheryl's life just overwhelmed her unexpectedly. Never before had Cheryl contacted her urgently for this type of breakdown, however, and the idea that Cheryl now trusted her enough to do so warmed everything inside of her.

Her friendship with Cheryl had been the most surprising thing that had happened since she had come to Riverdale High, their first few encounters being nothing short of hostile. The first, when Cheryl had snubbed her at the race, the second nearly ending in a fight, and the third resulting in Cheryl threatening her and storming from the room. Something had drastically changed between them though when they had met up at Pop's, and steadily walls separating them started crashing down, revealing to both of them that there was something connecting them in a way that neither understood. Toni still didn't know what it was, but she knew they both needed each other like they needed no other, and that meant everything to her even if it wasn't entirely clear as to why they were so drawn to each other.

When Cheryl finally pulled away from her body, bringing her hands up to wipe away the smudges of make-up, Toni lifted her hand to lightly caress the underside of Cheryl's chin. "Tell me who I have to kill and it will be done by tomorrow."

That's when everything in Toni's life shattered and rebuilt because of the laugh that rang through the air, echoing in the room - or maybe it was just echoing in her head - and the brightness of the genuine smile gracing Cheryl's features, bringing to light a beauty Toni didn't think she had ever seen before in anything or anyone. The smile reached Cheryl's eyes almost effortlessly, crinkling the skin in the corners and giving her irises a light Toni had yet to see present in them, a light of hope, a light of joy. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. And the laugh, Cheryl's laugh, a symphony that she wanted to listen to over and over again, was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

A sudden realization of what she was feeling dawned on Toni as everything that wasn't the beauty of Cheryl was erased from her life. It was a feeling she wasn't familiar with, but there were a few emotions she was already acquainted with tied into the rest of it, emotions she had only ever truly experienced with one other person. However, with Cheryl it was completely different. Veronica drove her near insanity, her touch, her talk, her everything, making her head spin so rapidly that most of the time she wasn't even sure what her own name was. But Cheryl… no, Cheryl didn't do that. Cheryl gave her a sense of security she had never felt before, not even with those closest to her; Cheryl had her feeling like everything was finally right with the world, with her, that every jagged piece of the puzzle that was her mind and her life were finally fitting together as though they had never been torn apart in the first place. Cheryl made her feel as though she were _living_ , high on the joy of life, and she wasn't exactly sure what to do with this discovery.

"Thank you, Toni," Cheryl spoke quietly, so unlike herself that it tore Toni's heart to shreds. "For always being here for me."

"I would turn water to wine for you, Cheryl Bombshell," Toni replied, and she knew it was the truth; for Cheryl, she would find a way.

Because Toni Topaz was unconditionally in love with Cheryl Blossom.

Toni lay on Veronica's rumpled silken sheets, her flannel from the day and her underwear being the only clothing items she now wore, the sheets barely covering her legs where they would have otherwise been exposed to the chilled air from the open window. She watched Veronica intently as the girl combed through her tangled hair, enjoying the contentedly hummed melody reaching from across the room where the other girl stood.

There was a sudden sound from somewhere else in the apartment, and - instinctively - Toni jolted into a sitting position as fear coursed through her at the idea of Veronica's father catching them. However, when a soft, infectious laugh sounded through the room her heartbeat slowed again, her worry slowly evaporating as her gaze fell on the girl before her.

"I told you there's no need to worry," Veronica teased, setting down her brush and making her way across the room to her bed. "Daddy won't be home for another few days."

Veronica made a show of crawling onto her bed seductively, and Toni laid back against the tower of pillows adorning the mattress, simply watching as Veronica pulled the sheet from her body and bending her legs at the knees when Veronica came between them. Laying down on her stomach, Veronica folded her arms, placing her hands on Toni's stomach and bringing her chin down to rest on her hands, her award-winning, bright smile gracing her features.

"Aren't you even _slightly_ worried that your dad will find us and, you know, casually remove my organs?" She knew Veronica would see it as a joke, but Toni couldn't be more serious even if she tried; it was a legitimate fear of hers.

As expected, Veronica's laughed echoed through the room. "Daddy would never hurt you, not if I asked him not to."

 _For some reason that doesn't reassure me._ "Alright, if you say so."

"Mm," Veronica hummed, coming to her hands and knees again, and crawling up so that she was now hovering over Toni, their noses brushing together. "I _do_ say so."

As they always did, Toni's fears flew from her mind as soon as Veronica's lips were molding with her own, an insistent tongue finding its way passed two pairs of parted lips to meet with another. Toni brought her hands up to rest against the dip in Veronica's back, pulling her body closer until the only things separating them were the articles of clothing they each wore. Teeth closed around the plump part of her bottom lip, easing a light groan from her as they dug in deep enough to cause the slightest amount of pain.

She knew they were about to get helplessly tangled in the sheets again without a single word needing to be said between them - because that's what they did, they got lost in each other's kisses and bodies until it felt as though breathing was impossible. It was what they both craved. But sometimes, Toni craved more, and she wasn't entirely sure how to go about receiving what she wanted, or even if Veronica could give it to her.

But when Veronica was relaxing back into the mattress, a lazy, content smile gracing her features after what they had done, Toni found herself wanting to find a way, even if it was the most trying thing she'd ever do; and when Veronica was pulling her in for another kiss she easily melted into it, handing the power over to her.

"You…" Veronica breathed out against her lips, obviously out of breath from Toni's ministrations. "… are an angel sent from heaven personally for me."

Toni's throat tightened at the words, but it wasn't in the way it normally would have been, the way she would have expected it to. "I don't know about that."

Suddenly, all of her thoughts shifted to a redheaded beauty, to the smile she so rarely got to see but so often craved, to the fact that she had been the cause of the brightest smile she had ever seen grace Cheryl's features. She couldn't help it, she thought of the way Cheryl made her feel even though she shouldn't be thinking about the girl at all. This had never been an issue before, Veronica usually taking up every inch of her thoughts when she was with her, but something had changed inside of Toni when she had been with Cheryl earlier that day, something undeniable, and though a part of her wanted to go back so that the electricity from Veronica still consumed her she knew it would never be the same again. It was wrong - so wrong it ashamed her - to be thinking of one while she was with another, and she quickly found herself detesting herself for what she was doing.

Part of her knew she shouldn't feel as terrible as she did, after all, her and Veronica hadn't clarified anything, hadn't put a label on what they were doing. In fact, if she were being completely honest, her constant encounters with Veronica left her more baffled than anything else. Most of the times they were together it seemed as though Veronica only wanted her for sex, which would make her developing feelings for Cheryl okay, but there was a small part that left Toni confused, making her think that maybe Veronica _did_ actually want something more from her. There was nothing Toni wanted more in that moment than clarification from Veronica, but at the same time she feared the answer she would receive if she found the nerve to ask. Part of her wanted to hear that Veronica actually cared for her, but another part wanted to hear that there was nothing to it so her heart could properly belong to Cheryl, and she wasn't sure which part was the superior.

Because Toni Topaz's life had become a complete mess of two girls she cared deeply for.

When Toni had gotten the invitation to Cheryl's house on Saturday she knew something was different by simply reading the text, the way it had been worded giving her the hint. _Would you like to come over?_ That was it. It wasn't demanding, it wasn't borderline abrasive like Cheryl often was, it wasn't even fueled with that famous Cheryl Blossom sass, it was just a simple question asking after Toni's thoughts on something Cheryl wanted to happen. However, despite the vast difference in the way Cheryl had summoned her and the feeling that something would be different the second she stepped over the threshold into Cheryl's house, Toni knew there wasn't anything wrong, she knew that Cheryl wasn't hurting in any way. Which is all she truly wanted in the grand scheme of things.

It hadn't even been a full day since she had last seen Cheryl, but Toni was ecstatic that she was going to be able to see her again before the start of the next school week. She had only been to Cheryl's house a few times throughout their friendship, and she had rarely seen the girl over the weekends unless they had run into each other at Pop's unexpectedly, yet Cheryl asking her to hang out hadn't startled her, in fact, for some reason it felt natural.

Clad in ripped jeans, a dark-red crop top, combat boots, and her Serpents jacket, Toni made her way up the drive to Cheryl's house, her hair pushed from her face with a bandana so that the wind didn't blow it into her face as she walked. She had ridden her bike most of the way but left it just inside the gates because she knew how Cheryl felt about motorcycles, so now she approached her destination on foot, her gaze traveling up to find Cheryl watching her from one of the upstairs windows. A smile reshaping her lips, Toni pulled her hand from the pocket of her jacket to offer Cheryl a small wave, noticing the way the girl smiled at her in return before moving away from the window. The door was pulled open just before Toni could knock, and she was greeted by a smiling Cheryl, the sight causing her stomach to flutter relentlessly in adoration.

"Hello," Cheryl greeted her, far different from the usual greeting. "I'm glad you're here."

Toni laughed lightly. "You invited me, remember?"

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm glad you're here, silly," Cheryl replied teasingly, stepping aside so Toni could make her way inside. Closing the door, she turned to face her. "We're headed to my room, just up those stairs."

Nodding, Toni started up the stairs Cheryl had indicated. She remembered her way to Cheryl's room from when she had been here before, so she knew which door to open when she reached the upstairs, not having to wait for the girl to direct her further. Looking around Cheryl's room, she noted that it was almost exactly how it had been before, the only change being that it was cleaner than the mess Toni remembered it being last time. The sound of the door closing caught her attention and, shoving her hands into her pockets, she turned back around so that her gaze could roam over Cheryl's features, both trying to figure out what the girl was thinking and simply admiring her effortless beauty.

"So," Toni started, a smile playing on her lips. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Cheryl seemed nervous, her body language not slipping Toni's notice as she moved over to her bed, sitting down on the edge of it before finally making eye-contact with her guest again. Something _had_ happened since the last time she had seen Cheryl, but still, nothing seemed wrong. She truthfully had no idea what was going on, which seemed to be happening a lot lately, her being clueless. Casually, Toni lowered herself onto the bed next to Cheryl, removing her hands from her pockets and placing them on the mattress slightly behind her, letting them hold a good amount of her weight as she leaned back into them. Cheryl shifted so that she was facing her fully, tucking one leg beneath her as she brought their gazes together, but still she said nothing, and it was beginning to confuse and worry Toni. She could read a lot in Cheryl's eyes, but right now the emotions flashing through the brown of them didn't give anything away.

Toni arched her eyebrow. "Cheryl? What's on your mind?"

Toni had no clue what she was expecting from Cheryl inviting her to her house, but she certainly knew that she hadn't been expecting Cheryl to come shooting forward to crash their lips together, awkwardly at first, but then more confidently after a brief second of just sitting there hesitantly. Her eyelids fluttered closed after a moment of shock, and she immediately lost herself in the kiss. Those luscious lips Toni had caught herself staring at more than once now parted as they pushed against hers more surely, the passion laced through every movement - even the small, almost unnoticeable ones - stealing every ounce of air from Toni's lungs until she needed Cheryl to breathe. Bringing her weight off her arms, Toni lifted her hand to caress Cheryl's cheek affectionately, focusing on embedding every centimeter of Cheryl's lips into her memory for safekeeping, in case she never got the chance to taste them again.

Her heart nearly exploded from her chest when a tongue brushed passed her lips, a low groan vibrating her throat when Cheryl's tongue wrapped around her own. Cheryl's lips curled the slightest bit against hers in response, letting Toni know she was smiling as a hand came up to grip her neck, guiding her backward until she was laying on the bed. Her heart _did_ explode when Cheryl climbed on top of her, their mouths never parting as she straddled her, lowering her body so that her backside pressed into Toni's groin. Fingers brushed through her hair, pulling the bandana from her head and flinging it across the room so that they could thread through pink until fingernails scratched against her scalp. Toni let her hands grab hold of Cheryl's hips, her thumbs brushing over the skin revealed by a close-fitting crop-top.

A whine escaped Toni when Cheryl pulled away, but every protest she would have given got caught in her throat when Cheryl gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it from her body, revealing more of herself to Toni. Toni was at a complete loss for words, her gaze taking in everything she could of Cheryl's mesmerizing body, lingering for an extended time on the way a lacy red bra held full breasts. She couldn't help it, she reached up to slide her hand up Cheryl's abdomen and between her breasts.

"You're breathtaking, Cheryl Bombshell," Toni whispered in awe of the girl on top of her, noting the way pale cheeks flushed a light shade of red. "Is that an actual blush I see?"

"Shut up," Cheryl breathed out, trying to hide the smile playing at her lips.

With that, Toni snuck her arms around Cheryl's body and flipped their positions, following as Cheryl scooted further up the bed so neither of them were hanging off awkwardly. Their gazes met, and Toni could see everything swirling through Cheryl's eyes; the love, the lust, the vulnerability, the brokenness, the healing, she could see it all. And she saw nothing but perfection. Her strengths, her flaws, they were all so beautiful that Toni couldn't even begin to describe Cheryl with words. No word created by mankind could describe the force that was Cheryl Blossom, and Toni couldn't wait to get lost in her to the point of no return.

Leaning down, Toni claimed Cheryl's lips in her own, the kiss slow and passionate, easing everything they each felt out of them and into the other. Tongues tangled, lips connected, bodies pressed together, hands explored, and when Cheryl's legs came up to wrap around Toni's waist they soon forgot what it was like to be apart. Toni's jacket was pushed from her shoulders and discarded on the floor, quickly followed by her shirt due to Cheryl's insistence, but she didn't mind. She wanted more of her body to be connected with Cheryl's, she wanted their bodies to be as deeply connected as their minds and souls were, she wanted nothing else more.

Kissing along Cheryl's sharp jawline and down her neck, Toni closed her lips around the skin covering a calm, yet rapid heartbeat, allowing her teeth to scape over the area and loving the sound that came from Cheryl's lips. She did it again, gently teasing the skin between her teeth, encouraged by the way Cheryl held onto her as though she were the only thing that mattered in the universe.

"You know, I've never done this before," Cheryl announced timidly, her voice quiet and her breathing heavy.

That's when everything changed for Toni, causing her to pull back and meet Cheryl's gaze, which quickly turned into one of worry, worry that she had said the wrong thing; Cheryl never worried about saying the wrong thing. Leaning down, Toni pressed her lips to Cheryl's kiss-swollen ones, savoring the feel and taste of the girl she loved for a lingering moment before she broke the connection.

"I want everything to be just right for you," Toni whispered against Cheryl's lips, her thumb brushing over a prominent cheekbone affectionately. "I want everything to be unforgettable and perfect for you. I want to take care of you, Cheryl, even though I know you can take care of yourself."

Cheryl trailed her fingers down Toni's spine. "I love you."

There it was, what she had been waiting for: her confirmation. And it couldn't have come from anyone better. What she had with Veronica was mind-numbing, it was special and wild and unrestrained, but despite her love for it she found it wasn't enough; it wasn't what she had with Cheryl, not even close. She needed everything she had with Cheryl, the certainty, the comfort, the love, the desire, the undeniable feeling that they had been drawn together because they were meant to be in some way. Now, she knew which way. And she wanted to make sure Cheryl knew that there was no end to her love every second of every day, she wanted to make sure Cheryl was treated and loved the way she deserved to be, she wanted to make sure nothing ever hurt her again, and she knew that it would be challenging at times, but she was willing to do anything to prove to Cheryl that she would never be alone again.

Because Toni Topaz was in love with Cheryl Blossom, and because Cheryl Blossom was in love with her, and because she couldn't imagine being with anyone else.


End file.
